


Till The Sky Comes Crashing Down

by ItsDanteTime



Category: FF7, FF7R - Fandom, FFVII, FFVIIR, Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy 7 Remake - Fandom
Genre: Cloud takes Aerith's place in this fic, F/F, SOLDIER!Aerith AU, multi-chapter, unfinished work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:55:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24145483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsDanteTime/pseuds/ItsDanteTime
Summary: If Aerith was instead in the place of Cloud in FF7...This fic is a rewrite of the FF7 storyline, but Aerith and Cloud are switched.Also, lesbians.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart, Aerti - Relationship
Comments: 4
Kudos: 44





	Till The Sky Comes Crashing Down

The train rattles on throughout the night. The skies are calm, its darkness interrupted by the shining of stars accompanied by the occasional auroral shade that comes from the Mako Reactor. Aerith sits on the floor of the train, waiting for its halt. Tifa’s usual glee caught her off guard and made it hard to say no to her request. She wanted Aerith to aid her group of friends who identify themselves as “Avalanche”, an eco-terrorist group and assist them in their operation. Knowing how this job could possibly get her arrested, she asked for a hefty sum once this mission was over. Aerith has no idea how Tifa ended up with such people, but then again… it’s none of her business.   
  
After what seems like forever, Aerith hears the train whistling, signalling a stop. Barret who was pacing back and forth in front of her stops and takes a breath. Once this train comes to a full stop, two shinra guards will be just outside, waiting for the conductor to come out and report to them. At least, that’s what Barret said. The plan was for Jessie and Biggs to knock both of the guards out.   
  
“Damn! What’s the holdup?” Barret said to himself, “Fuck it, I’m heading out.” Aerith scooched over to make way for Barret, who was practically stomping with impatience. Sighing, she meditated for a few minutes, getting her head in the game.   
  
“Get down here, merc.” Barret’s gruff voice seared itself through the train’s steel exterior.   
  
It’s go time.   
  
Aerith grabs her sword as she launches herself out of the train, adding a flip for dramatic effect. Assessing her environment, she sees the two unconscious guards in front of her. All according to plan.   
  
“Halt!” One of two guards show up, their rifles aiming back and forth between Barret and Aerith.   
  
“You’re up.” Barret says as he runs past the two guards. Getting into her stance, Aerith takes a breath, her trusty Buster Sword in her hands.   
  
The fight was over before one could blink. Sheathing her sword, Aerith jogs ahead inside the station. There, she sees the team hiding behind a wall, two Shinra guards ahead are at their post.   
  
“Who in the hell-!?” The guard exclaims as he sees Aerith standing at the entrance. The guards take the bait as the team sneaks past them. Jessie turns to Aerith, smirking slightly. “Have fun!” She winks and salutes before disappearing ahead. Tifa always teases Aerith about Jessie’s flirtatious advances, but she always shrugs it off, seeing how Jessie always acts that way towards all her friends.   
  
Grabbing her sword once more, the results of her past SOLDIER training shows itself through Aerith’s experienced sword slashes. As the bullets rained down, Aerith dodged with ease, not a single scratch was inflicted upon her.   
  
Soon enough, the battle was over and Aerith catches up with team Avalanche. They’re fiddling with the gate’s lock, trying to get it open. It leads to the entrance of the reactor. As Aerith approaches, she can hear Jessie talking to Biggs as she tries to engage with the lock.   
  
“So what’s SOLDIER girl’s deal? Is she one of us, now? She’s got balls, this, uh…Uh, what was her name again?” She looks behind, looking at Aerith for her name.   
  
“Aerith. Aerith Gainsborough.”   
  
Biggs spoke up. “And she isn’t a SOLDIER anymore. Still, she’s a professional...unlike the rest of us. I’m glad to have her.” He smiles a little at Aerith, who smiled back.   
  
“Thanks.” Aerith knows better than to make friends during this mission, it’s best to keep them at a distance.   
  
Wedge makes it hard, though, as he gives her a childish thumbs up. Aerith chuckles and shakes her head a little at that. How can anyone be cold towards a group like this? Aerith sees Barret keeping on the lookout on the side. She was about to speak to him about her cut when he walks past her, supervising Jessie and Biggs.   
  
While a few more minutes go by, Wedge walks up to Aerith. “Hey, there’s no way you’d be doing this just for the money. Y’know what  _ I _ think? I think you care. I’m sure that even years of SOLDIER training and Shinra’s influence can’t numb your heart and it’s instinct to protect our home, the Planet!”   
  
Aerith gives Wedge an awkward smile. How can she explain to Wedge that a certain black haired martial artist was the one who put her up to this? “Actually, I-”   
  
Before Aerith could barely start her sentence, the gate was unlocked and the rest passed through, but Barret stayed behind. Aerith could tell he wanted to say something to her.   
  
“What is it?” Aerith asked. Even with Barret’s shades on (although it’s night time), Aerith can feel his eyes staring holes through her. Even though Aerith is confident that she can beat Barret in a fight, it still makes her squirm where she stood, nonetheless.

“Look, you may be Tifa’s friend, but if you mess this up, I’m coming for your ass.”   
  
Aerith crosses her arms, the atmosphere getting too tense for her comfort. “Well, if you doubt my skills so much, why hire me?” She refused to back down.

Barret grumbles a bit, not knowing what to respond with. “You better be worth the money, merc. Every. Last. Gil.” He says, walking ahead.   
  
Aerith sighs. She looks up, the Shinra building standing tall and proud. _   
  
_

Since the discovery of Mako Energy, the Shinra Company started building Mako Reactors that turn the Mako Energy, the lifeform of the Planet, into electricity. This wouldn’t be such a bad thing if Mako Energy wasn’t made of generations of spirits, souls, the Planet’s essence.

The Shinra Building used to be something Aerith admired, for its beauty, its significance, but now it just reminds Aerith how this company puts up a front, it’s all false promises to the people. Before getting too distracted, she sauntered over to where the rest of Avalanche was. After breaching numerous gates and defeating the guards each time, The group finally splits, with Wedge guarding the exit and Jessie and Biggs opening each door for Aerith and Barret to pass through. Finally, the duo reaches the core of the Reactor, where the bomb is to be detonated. Aerith’s ears are practically yelled off from Barret’s lectures about how the Planet is dying and Shinra’s sucking it dry. “Should’ve asked for more money.” she mutters to herself. This mission doesn’t seem worth nearly 2,000 gil.

Just before Barret places the bomb down, he turns and reaches it out to Aerith. Seeing her confusion, Barret began to speak with a cocky grin on his face. “Let’s see if you actually  _ are _ one of u _ s _ . Plant the bomb.”   
  
With a roll of her eyes, Aerith takes it and starts to walk towards the core. “I never said I was. You should be thanking Tifa for having me onboard.”

Barret scoffs and crosses his arms. “You ain’t all that.”   
  
“Sure.”   
  
“Just do the damn job!”   
  
Aerith finds Barret’s short temper to be quite amusing, as she snorts at his small outburst.

However, halfway to her destination, Aerith’s head starts to pound so hard she could barely stand, her legs buckle beneath her as she grabs at her head, trying to bear with the pain. “Argh!”   
  
_ Watch out! _   
  


_ This isn’t just a reactor! _   
  


“The hell’s wrong with you!?” Barret’s booming voice cuts through the pain, giving Aerith a moment of clarity. 

She feels herself being picked up by her arm and she sees Barret’s eyebrows furrow with concern. Once the pain has finally subsided, Aerith gets on her feet on her own. “Aw, you care?”   
  
“I...Hell no! You dropped the bomb and I’m just worried that you’ll fuck up the plan! Are you fine, now?” He asks, a subtle tone of worry seeps out at the question.   
  
Aerith gives a nod and plants the bomb, setting the timer for 20 minutes. As soon as that happened, though, the reactor’s alarm started to go off. Both Aerith and Barret were looking around for any guards, but there were none. Aerith’s ears perked up as it started catching the sound of multiple metallic  _ clanging _ nearby. Whatever this was… It’s big.

“What the hell!?” Barret shouted in confusion as a giant scorpion-figured robot dropped down out of nowhere.

Aerith prepares herself for the battle that’s ahead of her.

Shit.


End file.
